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Advancing Health & Racial Equity

Creating Health and Racial Equity is both a core value and a strategic priority for Public Health Madison & Dane County. We believe that health outcomes should not be determined by race, gender, income, or any other group status; everyone deserves to live in a community that supports healthy living.

Our vision for health equity is that all people in Dane County will have fair and just opportunities to be healthy. This cannot happen without confronting and addressing the obstacles that make it more difficult for certain groups and individuals to be healthy because of their race, class, gender, sexual orientation and ability.

Our strategic plan intentionally looks to embed health and racial equity into programs, policies, practices and operations, and to advance health and racial equity in the community. Specifically, our internal goal to create a highly effective organization states that we are "strengthening PHMDC to improve the health of our community by committing to equity, inclusion and anti-racism in our work."

Our Health and Racial Equity Team

In 2016, we created a Health and Racial Equity Team made up of a diverse group of our employees representing all four Public Health Divisions, and lead by our Health Equity Coordinators. The purpose of the team is to guide our organization in incorporating health and racial equity into all of our programs and operations. The team’s creation aligns with the City of Madison and Dane County’s Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiatives.

Goals

We will be a highly effective organization that operates with health and racial equity as a guiding principle.

Health outcomes in Dane County will not be determined by race, class, gender, income or other group status.

Healthy People. Healthy Places.

Public Health Services are available to all residents and visitors of Madison and Dane County. Citizenship is not a requirement. We provide services regardless of a person's race, color, gender/gender expression, ability, religion, sexual orientation or place of birth/place of residence.

Our Mission

Working with the community to enhance, protect, and promote the health of the environment and the well being of all people.